Asparagus washer



April 23, 1940.

C. W. HOON ASPARAGUS WASHER Filed May 8, 1937 4 Sheets- Sheef 1 3 15 817 9 4 as I 13 INVENTOR C. V V. HOOI'L ATTORNEY April 23, 1940. c. w.HOON ASPARAGUS WASHER 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 8, 1937 INVENTOR C.W110 01 ATI'TORNEY April 23, 1940. Q 2,197,978

ASPARAGUS WASHER Filed May 8, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet s INVENTOR C. WHOOJL'ATTORNEY April 23, 1940. c. w. HOON ASPARAGUS WASHER Filed May 8; 1937 4Sheets-Sheet 4 r I. I

II II -J s 7 9 7?; A IN 2 2 9 5 5 3 'INVENTOR C. WHOOJ'Z/ Patented Apr.23, 1940 ASPARAGUS WASHER Clyde W. Hoon, Rio Vista, Calif. ApplicationMay8,'1937, Serial No. 141,499

'7 Claims.

9 Another object is to provide a means, func tioning in conjunction withthe washing'of the asparagus, for cutting the stalks to a common lengthas they pass through the machine, and a means for automatically holdingthe stalks 15 against relative movement while they are being cut.

These objects I accomplish by -means of such structure and relativearrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following80 specification and claims.

In the drawings similar characters of reference indicate correspondingparts in the several views:

Figure l is'a top plan view of the apparatus,

.25 somewhat diagrammatically displayed on account of the small scale towhich it is drawn. Figure 2 is an enlarged cross section on the line 2-2of Fig. l.

Figure 3 is a similar view on theline 3-3 of 80 Fig. 1.

Figure 4 is a similar view on the line i4 of Fig. 1.

It may here be noted that all these sectional views face in thedirection of the arrows shown 85 adjacent the section indicating lines.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference von thedrawings, the supporting frame of the apparatus consists essentially ofhorizontal symmetrically crossing beams '40 I which are mounted asuitable distance from the floor on legs or the like (notv shown).

The frame supports a rotary table on which the asparagus is disposed forwashing and cutting. This table consists essentially of an end- 45 lesscircular main band 2, an outer band 3 and an inner band 6-, all saidparts being concentric. The radial distance between the outer and innerbands is greater than the lengthof any out asparagus stalks, and thetops of the bands 2 and 50 3 are on the'same level. The band 4 howeverextends upwardly a considerable distance above the other bands and formsa back stop or locating means for the tips of'asparagus. The bands areall connected in rigid relationship by radial 6!, bars '5 disposed somedistance below the top surface of the bands. The band 2 is turnablysupported from the supporting frame for movement in a horizontalcircular path on a plurality of flanged rollers t which are mounted ona, cire cular band 1' secured on the beams. I.

A plurality of relatively narrow bands 8' set on edge are disposed inspaced relation between the bands 2 and t and are supported on the bars.5. Other-bands 9 also on edge are supported on the bars 5 and aredisposed between the bands 2 and 3. All these bands are on the samelevel and form in effect a fiat grate on which the asparagus rests.Fromthe above description it'will be seen that the table as a whole isin effect an endless conveyor whose actual width is approximately thator slightly greater than the length of any asparagus stalks.

The above described table is rotated'at a suitable speed by means of anelectric motor ill mounted axially of the tableon a supporting platformH built up from the beams i. This motor through a conventional reductiongear unit indicated at [2, drives a shaft I3 which-extends radially ofthe table and is connected to a bevel pinion it. The shaft adjacent thepinion issupported in a bearing bracket 55 secured on another band Itdisposed radially inward relative to the inner table band t andism'ounted on the beams i as shown in Fig. 4:. The pinion engages adownwardly facing internal bevel gear ll secured against the .outer'faceof the bandt' adjacent the bottom; said gear being preferably made insections for ease and economy of man- 'ufacture and installation. Theopposite end of the motor shaft is directly connected to anotherradially' extending drive shaft 18 on the outer end of which is secureda rotary cutter H) of suitable form. The shaft l8 adjacent the cutter isjournaled in a bearing bracket 26 supported from the fixed band It asshown in Fig. 2. This cutter overlaps and co operates with the outerface of theband 2,which forms in eifecta stationary cutting blade.

This cutter is disposed in a tunnel 2] adjacent the intake end thereof.This tunnel extends for a certain arcuate portion of the circumferenceof the table and encloses the same (exceptat 22 and from the band l6inwardly of the table by straps 23 or the like.

Mounted in the tunnel are horizontal longitudinally extending spraypipes, one such pipe 24 being disposed adjacent the roof of the tunneland spraying down. Another pipe 25 is mounted under the tunnel and tableand sprays upwardly through the grate bars. A third pipe 26 is mountedalong the outer side of the tunnel some distance above the table andsprays downwardly and radially toward the asparagus supporting surfaceof the table as shown in Fig. 3.

The pipes 24 and 25 extend diagonally of the table surface from one end(which is just beyond the cutter) to the discharge end of the tunnel, atwhich end all the pipes are suitably connected to a valved supply pipe21. This arrangement is indicated in Fig. 1. A drain trough 28 extendsthe length and width of the tunnel with a downward slope from thedischarge end thereof. All the water as sprayed on the asparagus passingthrough the tunnel is thus confined and prevented from splashing to theoutside and such water together with any dirt, as well as the buttportions of the stalks removed by the cutter l9, fall into the draintrough and are carried away.

In operation, the asparagus to be cut and washed is placed on the tableahead of the tunnel with the tips against the back plate or band 4 andso that the stalks are substantially radial with the table. The diameterof the table is sufficiently great so that when the stalks are thusdisposed, adjacent stalks while actually radiating from a common center,are substantially parallel to each other. As the table in its rotationpasses through the tunnel carrying the asparagus with it, .the buttportions of the stalks which extend outwardly beyond the band 2 are cutoif by the rapidly revolving cutter, so that all the stalks are then thesame length. The stalks are then washed by the various sprays whichobviously act on said stalks from all directions, and when passing fromthe tunnel are removed by an operator stationed at that point and placedin lug boxes or otherwise disposed of.

In order to hold the stalks against relative movement on the table whilethey are being out, without interfering with the desired ease ofinitially placing the asparagus on the table or subsequently removingthe same, I provide the following means:

Adapted to rest on the asparagus at a point near the band 2 inwardly ofthe same is a rela tively heavy endless flexible member 29 such as afiat chain of special form. This chain is supportedat intervals on theouter ends of hangers 30 preferably of wishbone form, whose inner endsare pivoted on the band 4 adjacent the top there of. The weight of thechain when resting on the asparagus is sufiicient to hold the sameagainst relative movement.

In order to raise the chain well clear of the table ahead of and beyondthe tunnel, so as not to interfere with the placing or removing of theasparagus, I mount upstanding blunt hook-like elements 3! on thedifferent hangers 30 intermediate their ends, which elements faceinwardly of the table. The upper ends of the elements are adapted toride on a cam rail 32 supported in a fixed position by standards 33upstanding from the band l6 at intervals. The rail at its endsterminates adjacent the opposite ends of the tunnel, and at said ends ison a level such that the elements 3| are then free of the rail, enablingthe chain to exert its unrestrained weight to hold the asparagus down.From said ends however the rail slopes upwardly to a height sufficientto cause the hangers and consequently the chain to'be swung up as inFig. 4 so as to offer no interference with the asparagus placing orremoving operations, which of course are performed from outwardly of thetable. This arrangement also causes the desired holding down action tobe imparted to the asparagus without any tendency 5 to shifttheasparagus one way or the other and which would disturb its desiredradial setting. Not only is the holding down of value while the stalksare being cut, but it also prevents the force of the sprays frompossibly shifting the position 10 of the asparagus on the table andwhich would interfere with ease of removal of the asparagus after it hasbeen washed.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that I haveproduced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of theinvention as set forth herein. While this specification sets forth indetail the present and preferred construction of the device, still inpractice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do notform a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined by theappended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and useful anddesire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An asparagus treating apparatus comprising a circular table adaptedto support a layer of asparagus stalks about its peripheral portion inradiating relation to the axis of the table, a con- F l tinuous bandrigid with and upstanding from the table a predetermined distanceradially inward from the outer peripheral edge of the table concentricwith the axis thereof to form a back stop for engagement with the tipsof the asparagus 3i, disposed on the table, means supporting the tablefor rotation in a horizontal plane, means to rotate the table, and afixed cutter mounted a predetermined distance radially out from theplane of said band in position to cut off the butt portions '40 of thestalks a predetermined distance from the tip ends thereof.

2. An asparagus treating apparatus comprising a horizontal circulartable adapted to support a single layer of asparagus stalks about itsperiph- 4-5 eral portion in radiating relation to the axis of the table,means to rotate the table, a fixed cutter mounted in position to cut offthe butt portions of the stalks, a back stop band on and upstanding fromthe table a predetermined distance radially 50 in from the cutter toengage the tips of the stalks} an endless flexible and relatively heavyelement extending over and about the table between the plane of thecutter and the band and adapted to rest on the asparagus supported onthe table, R55

hangers connected at one end to said element at intervals in its lengthand pivoted at their opposite end on said back stop band of the tablefor swinging movement in a vertical plane and a cam rail mounted in afixed position adapted to engage 60 and swing the hangers upwardly tolift the ele.- ment clear of the table except for a predetermineddistance from a point ahead of the cutter to one beyond the same.

3. In an asparagus trimming apparatus, an endless conveyor to support alayer of asparagus stalks in side by side relation at rightangles to thelongitudinal plane of the conveyor, said conveyor including a pair oftraveling longitudinally extending and transversely spaced asparagussup- "70 porting bands and means to locate the stalks on the conveyor sothat each stalk initially extends across both bands and the spacetherebetween; and a relatively fixed cutter projecting into the spacebetween said bands, one band being of 7 rigid metal and disposedadjacent the cutter to form a cooperating blade.

4. An asparagus trimming machine comprising a rotary table to support alayer of asparagus stalks in radial relation to the axis of the table,said table including a circular band disposed outwardly of the innerperiphery of the table and depending from the level thereof, arelatively fixed cutter cooperating with the upper edge of said band onone side, and supporting elements mounted under and engaging the loweredge of said band.

5. An asparagus trimming machine comprising a rotary table to support alayer of asparagus stalks in radial relation to the axis of the table,said table including a circular band disposed outwardly of the innerperiphery of the table, radial bars projecting inwardly from said bandbelow the top thereof, additional circular bands supported on said barsand extending to the level of the top of said first named band, andmeans supsupporting surface of the table concentric with the axisthereof and disposed just radially inward of the cutter, the latterdepending below the upper edge of the band whereby said band forms acooperating cutting element.

7. In an asparagus trimming apparatus, a rotary table for the support ofthe asparagus to be trimmed, said table'being of relatively largediameter and substantially of ring-dike form and including concentricelements spaced apart radially a distance less than the length ofasparagus stalks, a back-stop band upstanding from adjacent and rigidwith the radially innermost element for locating engagement with thetips of the stalks and a cutter mounted to overlap the radiallyoutermost element.

CLYDE W. HOON.

